Retailers prep for an October sales blitz ahead of a cutthroat holiday shopping season

Christmas is still months away, but the holiday shopping wars are already here. Mega-retailers are pushing up their calendars with earlier sales events, faster delivery promises, and perks aimed at budget-conscious shoppers. Next month...

• Amazon will hold its Prime Big Deal Days on October 7 and 8. The two-day sale is shorter than July’s four-day Prime Day but is designed to pull spending forward ahead of Black Friday.

• Walmart will give Walmart+ members early access on October 6 before opening a five-day event October 7 through 12 with discounts across categories like toys, fashion, and electronics.

• Target is bringing back its fall Circle Week, which runs October 5 through 11, with early access for Circle 360 members on October 4. Deals will include home goods, apparel, toys, and electronics.

Consumer cutbacks

Sales events have become more common as budgets tighten and shoppers change their habits to cope.

Bankrate’s 2025 Holiday Spending Report shows about half of consumers plan to start shopping before Halloween, and YouGov’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday Outlook found that 22% are shopping before Black Friday, largely to avoid unexpected price hikes. More Americans are eyeing Prime Day deals, too: 36% say they’ll shop this year’s sales, compared with 32% last year. Still, about a quarter of those shoppers said they expect to spend less overall. 

PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook survey found consumers expect to spend ~$1,552 each this holiday season, down 5.3% from last year, marking the first comparable decline since 2020.

Seasonal retail hiring is also expected to fall to its lowest level since 2009, as retailers brace for slower foot traffic.

Need for speed

Even as wallets tighten, shoppers still expect convenience. Walmart is expanding next-day delivery and leaning on “buy now, pay later” at checkout. Amazon is betting on its same-day hubs and AI-driven product recommendations to keep carts moving. Target has not only slashed prices, but also pushed curbside and in-store pickup options to help drive sales.

On the back end, all three are using AI to forecast demand, localize inventory, and help streamline supply chains — which makes sense, as outside of price, 62% of US consumers say faster shipping is the deciding factor when making purchases this season.